Focke-Wulf Volksjäger

The Focke-Wulf Volksjäger, meaning "People's Fighter" in German, was a German fighter project for the Luftwaffe. It was designed by Focke-Wulf industries towards the end of World War II as part of the defense effort against the devastating Allied bombing raids.[1]

Focke-Wulf Volksjäger
Role Interceptor
Manufacturer Focke-Wulf
Status design study only
Primary user Luftwaffe
Number built 0

History
See also: Emergency Fighter Program

In late summer 1944 the Nazi Ministry of Aviation launched the Volksjäger program for a jet fighter to use BMW 003 powerplant and utilize non-strategic materials. Focke-Wulf presented a design for a turbojet-powered fighter.[1] The Focke-Wulf Volksflugzeug was an innovative-looking single-jet aircraft. It was designed to be powered by one BMW 003 A1 turbojet as an actual contract competitor to the He 162A Spatz, the winner of the Volksjäger design competition and the selected Volksjäger aircraft to be mass-produced.[2] The air intake of the turbojet engine was placed in the front and the engine itself in the lower fuselage. Two possible shoulder wing configurations were investigated, straight and swept back. The wings of the swept back version spanned 7.5 m (26 ft 7 in) and had an area of 13.5 m² (161 ft²). The tail was supported by a projecting boom over the exhaust of the engine. This fighter aircraft was planned to be armed with two MK 108 cannon, placed in a frontal position on both sides of the air intakes.[1][3]

Specifications

General characteristics

  • Crew: one
  • Length: 8.8 m (28 ft 9 in)
  • Wingspan: 7.5 m[1] —swept back design— (26 ft 7 in)
  • Height: 2.85 m (9 ft 4 in)
  • Wing area: 13.5 m² —swept back design— (145 ft²)
  • Loaded weight: 3050 kg (6723 lb)
  • Powerplant: 1 × BMW 003 A1 turbojet, 5.87 kN / 8,000 rpm kN (1,300 kg/2,866 lb)

Performance

Armament
2 × 30mm MK 108 cannons in nose[1]

See also

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era

Related lists

Bibliography
  • Walter Schick , Geheimprojekte der Luftwaffe- Jagdflugzeuge 1939–1945, Motorbuch Verlag; 1st edition (1994) ISBN 978-3613016316

References
  1. Jean-Denis G. G. Lepage, Aircraft of the Luftwaffe, 1935–1945: An Illustrated Guide, McFarland, ISBN 978-0786439379 p. 256-257
  3. Schick, Walter; Meyer, Ingolf (1997). Luftwaffe Secret Projects : Fighters 1939-1945. Hinckley, England: Midland Publishing. ISBN 978-1-85780-052-4.
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